August 2017

18Aug

Swiss Re is moving its €130 billion portfolio into ethical investments

One of Europe’s biggest insurers is shifting its investments towards socially responsible companies. Swiss Re, a strategic partner of the World Economic Forum, is moving its €130 billion investment portfolio to target businesses that meet specific ethical benchmarks. While the firm is the first insurer to shift its entire investment portfolio in this way, the move shows a resurgence of social responsibility in the industry. In 2016, Axa announced plans to divest €1.8 billion of tobacco investments, because of its impact...

August 18, 2017
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17Aug

Dutch pension funds embrace UN goals

The Dutch pension fund managers PGGM and APG Asset Management have done much of the leg work for other investors wishing to align their investments with the sustainable development goals (SDGs). The two investors are finalising a highly detailed process that identifies classifications where they see potential sustainable development investment (SDIs) opportunities that could transform the United Nations’ targets into tangible returns for institutional investors. The result is investment opportunities linked to 13 of the UN’s 17 SDGs, and they...

August 17, 2017
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17Aug

US. Volatility, Retirement Top of Mind

Americans worry almost as much about short-term market volatility as they do about achieving their long-term retirement goals, Franklin Templeton Investments found in its 2017 Retirement Income Strategies and Expectations Survey. Forty-seven percent are concerned about short-term volatility and 53% about their retirement goals. Volatility concerns men more than women (51% vs. 44%) while for women, long-term retirement goals are top of mind (56% vs. 49%). Of the generations, Generation X is the least concerned about volatility—39% say they pay attention...

August 17, 2017
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15Aug

UK. Pension rights after a TUPE transfer

The legislation governing transfers of employment originally attempted to exclude pension rights from the scope of a transfer under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (TUPE). Regulation 10 of TUPE states that the general employment protection provided on a TUPE transfer does not apply to “so much of a contract of employment or a collective agreement as relates to an occupational pension scheme”. The regulation states that rights that do not relate to “old age, invalidity...

August 15, 2017
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15Aug

This person asked the internet if it was necessary to save so much for retirement — the response was surprising

When VintageBurtMacklin, as the Reddit user goes by, asked why everyone is advised to “save so much for retirement” — and if it is really the right move — the commenters of the personal finance thread of the online discussion site responded in full force. Apparently, they have been paying attention to the news of the looming retirement crisis affecting the country. VintageBurtMacklin shared his scenario: he took a new job after welcoming a new baby, and analyzed his budget, keeping...

August 15, 2017
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15Aug

UK. Home Industry Life Lloyds Bank… Lloyds Bank may expand into pensions and wealth management

UK high street bank Lloyds, which owns Scottish Widows, may be about to announce a major push into pension and investment products as part of a three-year growth plan. The Financial Times reported over the weekend that the bank was looking to capitalise on its position as Britain’s only integrated high street bancassurer, which allows it to provide wealth and retirement services to its retail customer base. Mario Mazzocchi, a pensions and investment director at Lloyds’ Scottish Widows business, told the...

August 15, 2017
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15Aug

Danish Government raises retirement age as benefits system continues to prosper

Africa Infrastructure Fund I focus on investments in infrastructure, especially in the area of transportation and energy, in Africa. The fund will facilitate investments to support sustainable economic growth and prosperity in Africa and at the same time deliver an attractive return to its investors. The fund will be open for Danish as well as international investors for the next 12 months. It has a targeted lifetime of 10 years and has an initial target of 10 to 15 investments...

August 15, 2017
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15Aug

Taiwan. Presidential Office: There will be no place for protests against unfair-pension reform at Taipei Universiade

The Office of the President, ROC (Taiwan) said on Sunday that there will be no place for people who intend to express their political views by causing disturbances at Taipei 2017 Summer Universiade. According to media reports, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) will be attending the Taipei Universiade opening ceremony on August 19. However, rumors have spread that several groups opposing the government's policy to reform the country's unfair pension system are planning to stage protests outside the venue of the opening...

August 15, 2017
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14Aug

UK. Eye on the fees: State pension funds are getting better management

It’s a start. Keep going. That was the message that state Auditor General Eugene DePasquale and state Treasurer Joe Torsella last week gave to the State Employees’ Retirement System, which operates the pension fund for retired state workers. While SERS’ efforts to spend less money on managers has borne fruit — it shelled out $167 million last year, compared to $345 million in 2007 — Mr. DePasquale issued an audit urging the system to cut some more. Mr. Torsella issued a...

August 14, 2017
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14Aug

HSBC fund arm eyes mainland China pension market, new Silk Road projects

HSBC Global Asset Management is planning to expand into more Asian markets with a focus on pension fund management and infrastructure investments arising from Beijing’s new Silk Road projects, according to the regional head of the company. “We would like to expand into new markets in Asia where we have achieve double digit year-on-year growth in terms of assets under distribution over the last three years,” said Pedro Bastos, chief executive of Hong Kong and regional head of Asia-Pacific, HSBC...

August 14, 2017
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